“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” Matthew 6:25-30
What’s wrong with worry? With price increases and supply shortages, what’s not to worry about? Perhaps Jesus’ answer may sound simplistic and unrealistic, but nevertheless He says don’t be worried. And, He qualifies the reason for such a statement. He says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life.” The reason He refers to is found in the previous verse (Matthew 6:24), where He states that we cannot serve two masters. To serve wealth is to have plenty of cause for worry over uncertain things, but in serving God we are to be freed from worry over these material matters.
Now, lest we think living worry-free is license for irresponsibility, there is more to the word, “worry,” than meets the eye. This word in the original language literally means, “a distracting care.” To worry, then, is to be so focused and obsessed with food, drink, and clothing as to hinder our ability to function.
The remedy for worry is a nature study. Jesus reminds us of the birds of the air, the lilies of the field, and the well-dressed king Solomon. No pictures of Solomon’s glorious adornment have been preserved, so our lessons must be taken from the birds and flowers. These which are temporary and seemingly inconsequential are divinely provided for. As those of far greater value, our provision is utmost in our Father’s thinking and planning.
Worry is worthless. As Jesus reminds us, worry cannot increase our lifespan. Worry over material needs is worthless in that Jesus reminds us that there is much more to our lives than these needs. To worry about the material is to miss the big picture.
By nature I’m prone to be a worrier, so Jesus’ words are especially challenging to me. But, my personal history as well as my nature study reminds me that our Father is Yahweh Jireh - The LORD will provide. We’ve never truly lacked any of life’s so-called necessities, which has allowed much freedom to focus on the things of the kingdom (Matthew 6:33). He has and does provide.
Why worry? The Psalmist reminds us that “every animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills” Psalm 50:10. If our Father owns all that there is, then it is good to know that He is willing to abundantly share.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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